Mercury motor-meter.



v Patented Jul 'so, 1912.

G MH HI J. H. HODDE.

MERCURY MOTOR METER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1910. 4

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UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

recon n. nonnn, or srnrnerrnnn, rumors, Assren'on 'rosAnGAMo ELECTRIC COMPANY, or SPRINGFIELD, rnnmorse CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

MERCURY MOTOR-METER.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July so, 1912.

Toull whom itmaiy concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB H. Honor, a citizen-of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the v county of Sangamon,

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful- Tmprovements in Mercury Motor-Meters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mercury motor meters of the type n WlllCh an armature is rotatable n mercury on a spindle rising from the" mercury, and it has for its object upper and lower the provision of new and improved devices 'designedto reduceto a minimum the triotion of the rotating element. In motor meters of this type, in which the armature is made of a thin plate of copper, the mercury inevitably carries in solution a small amount of cop especially when such an instrument s; been considerably agitated and shaken around or possibly turned upside down in shipment. In such case, a portion of-the copper amalgam becomes oxidized, forming a film of dross on the surface of the mercury. When in the handlingof the meter the mercury and dross are splashed onto the jewel forming the bearing for. the spindle in the upper wall of the mercury char'nber,v it has a, tendency to dry oii from the jewel bearing the small amount ;of -oil necessary to the proper running of the meter, leaving in place of the oil a sticky composition of oil and copper oxid which has the effect of slowing down the meter on low loads. 7

It is the object of this invention torprovide a construction which shall overcome this difliculty, protecting from the dross both the spindle at; the point where it emerges "from the mercury and the jewel bearing for the spindle. The means by which I have accomplished this result are shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter specifically described. That which I believe to be new is set forth in the claims.

Tn the drawings,Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a meter embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the jewel bearing for the spindle, illustrating a modified form of my improved device.

Referring to Fig. 1, 9-10 indicate the members of the casing, in-

closing the mercury chamber 11, the lower member 10 comprising a non-magnetic metal plate 12. p

13 indicates the contacts'extending a short distance into the mercury chamber.

14 indicates an electro-magnet energized in any appropriate manner to produce a suitable field, the pole-pieces of suchmagnet extending up close to the bottom-plate 12.

15 indicates a return plate of any ordinary suitable type.

16 indicates the cover-plate suitably securedto the upper end of the casing member 9.

1718 indicate the upper and lower members of a two-part spindle, suitably joined so as to rotate together. The upper member 17 is provided with a worm 19 by which motion is to be communicated to any suitable type of indicating 'or recording devices not shown. 20' indicates a damping disk mounted on said spindle 17, adapted to be acted -upon by any suitable type of permanent magnets not shown. The lower spindle member 18 is, mounted in a jewel bearing 21 carried by the lower end of a sleeve 22 depending from the cover-plate 16. Upon the lower end portion of the spindle 18 are mounted an armature 23 formed of a thin disk of copper, and a float 24: formed of wood or other suitable mateof the spindle 18.

Inasmuch as the parts so far described are all well-known and form of themselves no part of the present invention, it is not believed that further description is necessary herein.

The means for protecting the jewel bearing21 from the mercury and dross and in some cases for keeping the dross away from the spindle 18 at the point where it emerges from the mercury without its retarding the rotation of the spindle, consists of the sleeve 25 of non-amalgamating metal, preferably steel, whose flaring upper end embraces the lower end of the sleeve 22, the lower end of which in the construction shown dips a short distance into the mercury. The inside diameter of the sleeve 25 is very slightly greater than the outside diameter or the spindle 18 so that not only is the mercury prevented from splashing up onto the jewel 21, but, owing to the tendency of mercury. to hold together in globules it'is almost impos sible for the mercury to work in along the spindle 18 into contact with the-jewel bearing even when the meter is in inverted position. Moreover, the space is so narrow that it tends to act as a strainer to keep out the dross even when the pure mercury is permitted to enter the sleeve 25. Thus the dross is kept away from the spindle 18 altogether, preventing any undue retarding effect and reducing the friction to a minimum.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown in which the sleeve 25 extends clear to or below the surface of the mercury, except as hereinafter claimed, since the protection to. the jewel is practically complete whether or not the sleeve extends below the surface of the mercury.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated a modification. In this figure, the corresponding parts are numbered the same as in Fig. 1, but with the addition of the letter a. In

this modification, the sleeve 25 is telescoped into the sleeve 22, the lower end of the receiving sleeve being swaged to prevent the withdrawal of the sleeve 22?.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,=

1. In a mercury motor meter, in combination, a mercury chamber, mercury therein, a rotatable element having a spindle, a bearing for said spindle above the surface of the mercury, and a sleeve surrounding said bearing and at its lower end portion surrounding said spindle closely but not in contact with it, said sleeve fitting said spin dle so closely as to prevent the passage of mercury between them.

2. In amercury motor meter, in combination, a mercury chamber,mercury therein, a rotatable element having a spindle rising out of the mercury, a bearing for said spindle above the surface of the mercury, and a sleeve surrounding said bearing and at its lower end portion surrounding said spindle closely but not in contact with it,

nosaees said'sleeve extending normally a short distance below the surface of the mercury andserving as a strainer to prevent the dross contained in the mercury from coming into contact with the spindle.

3. Ina mercury motor meter, in combination, a mercury chamber, mercury therein, a rotatable element having a spindle rising out of the mercury, a sleeve extending into said mercury chamber, a second sleeve secured to and depending from the lower end of the first-mentioned sleeve, said second sleeve at itslower end portion surrounding said spindle closely but not in contact with it, but adapted normally to prevent the passage of mercury between said spindle and the wall of said sleeve and a bearing for said spindle mounted in one of said sleeves at aboutthe point of connection between said sleeves.

4. n a mercury motor meter, in combination, a mercury chamber, mercury therein, a rotatable element having a spindle rising out of the mercury, a sleeve extending downward into said mercury chamber, a jewel bearing for'said spindle mounted in the lower end of said sleeve, and a second sleeve embracing and secured to the lower end of said first-mentioned sleeve and at its'lower end portion surrounding said spindle closely but not in contact with it, and normally extending into the mercury in said chamber and adapted normally to prevent the passage of the mercury between the spindle and the wall of the sleeve.

5. In a mercury motor meter, in combination, a mercury chamber, mercury therein, a rotatable element, a spindle therefor, and a sleeve around said spindle having its lower end closely surrounding said spindle and adapted to extend into the mercury in said chamber, said sleeve fitting said spindle so closely as to normally prevent the passage of mercury between the spindle and the wall of said sleeve.

JACOB H. HODDE.

Witnesses:

GRACE L. I-Ioornn, It. C. LAUPHIER. 

